Research on EFT for Phobias
This area represents the clinical research conducted on Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) for phobias (symptoms and diagnostic conditions). Explore by title below. Where the paper is available free of charge in an open access journal, you can download it and use freely (on website, social media, newsletters). If it is behind a pay wall, you can freely share the abstract and reference but cannot share the full article, due to copyright.
The Immediate Effect of a Brief Energy Psychology Intervention (EFT) on Specific Phobias: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract
Background: Specific phobia is one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has been shown to improve anxiety symptoms; however, their application to specific phobias has received limited attention.
Objective: This pilot study examined whether EFT, a brief exposure therapy that combines cognitive and somatic elements, had an immediate effect on the reduction of anxiety and behavior associated with specific phobias.
Design: The study utilized a crossover design with participants randomly assigned to either diaphragmatic breathing or EFT as the first treatment.
Setting: The study was conducted at a regional university in the Southwestern United States.
Participants: Twenty-two students meeting criteria for a phobic response to a specific stimulus (< 8 on an 11-point subjective units of distress scale).
Intervention: Participants completed a total of five two-minute rounds in each treatment intervention.Outcome Measures: Study measures included a behavioral approach test (BAT), Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).
Results: Emotional Freedom Techniques significantly reduced phobia-related anxiety (BAI P < .042; SUDS P < .002) and ability to approach the feared stimulus (BAT P < .046) whether presented as an initial treatment or following diaphragmatic breathing. When presented as the initial treatment, the effects of EFT remained through the presentation of the comparison intervention.
Conclusions: The efficacy of EFT in treating specific phobias demonstrated in several earlier studies is corroborated by the current investigation. Comparison studies between EFT and the most effective established therapies for treating specific phobias are recommended.
Citation (APA Style): Salas, M., Brooks, A. J., & Rowe, J. E. (2011). The immediate effect of a brief energy psychology intervention (EFT) on specific phobias: A randomized controlled trial. Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, 7(3), 255-160.
Direct link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1550830711000395?via%3Dihub
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Reduces Intense Fears: A Partial Replication and Extension of Wells et al.
Abstract
Wells, Polglase, Andrews, Carrington, and Baker (2003) found that Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT; an intervention involving manual stimulation of a specific set of acupuncture points accompanied by certain verbalizations) produced greater decrease in intense fear of small animals than did a comparison condition. The present partial replication and extension assessed whether such findings reflected (a) nonspecific factors common to many forms of psychotherapy, (b) some methodological artifact (such as regression to the mean, fatigue, or the passage of time), and/or (c) therapeutic ingredients specific to EFT. Participants were randomly assigned to EFT, a supportive interview, or no-treatment control. On a majority of the dependent variables, participants in the EFT condition showed significant decrease in fear of small animals immediately after, and again 1.38 years after, one 45-min intervention, whereas the other two conditions did not. These findings lend support for EFT’s efficacy in the treatment of intense fear, but further research is needed regarding the range of problems for which EFT may be efficacious, the treatment procedures required to maintain clinical gains, the relative power of EFT compared with other established therapies, and the mechanism(s) that produce EFT’s effects.
Citation (APA Style): Baker, A. H., & Siegel, M. A. (2010). Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) reduces intense fears: A partial replication and extension of Wells et al. Energy Psychology: Theory, Research, & Treatment, 2(2), 13-30.
Direct link: https://energypsychologyjournal.org/a-harvey-baker-linda-s-siegel/
Physiological and Psychological Effects of a Mind/Body Therapy on Claustrophobia
Abstract
A preliminary study was conducted to quantify the effects of a specific form of therapeutic intervention on claustrophobia using methods from an emerging field called energy psychology, which uses the acupuncture system to reduce or eliminate irrational anxiety and fears. The treatment includes a form of self-applied acupressure, focused thought, and structured breathing exercises to effect a rapid desensitization of the feared object or situation. Four claustrophobic and four normal individuals were recruited. The claustrophobic individuals were measured with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and physiological measures of EEG, EMG, heart rate, respiration rate, and measures of the electro-conductance within the acupuncture meridians. The results when compared with normal individuals showed that a 30-minute treatment appeared to create reduction in EMG for the trapezius muscle; changes of EEG Theta wave activity and changes in the electrical conductance between acupuncture points along a meridian pathway. The measures pre- and post-treatment on the STAI for the experimental group were significantly lower even at a two week followup. This pilot study suggests that specific physiological and psychological changes occur for claustrophobic individuals after undergoing an energy psychology treatment. Further investigation appears warranted.
Citation (APA Style): Lambrou, P., Pratt, G., & Chevalier, G. (2005). Physiological and psychological effects of a mind/body therapy on claustrophobia. Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine, 14(3), 239-251.
Direct link: https://journals.sfu.ca/seemj/index.php/seemj/article/view/367
Evaluation of a Meridian-Based Intervention, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), for Reducing Specific Phobias of Small Animals
Abstract
This study explored whether a meridian-based procedure, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), can reduce specific phobias of small animals under laboratory-controlled conditions. Randomly assigned participants were treated individually for 30 minutes with EFT (n = 18) or a comparison condition, Diaphragmatic Breathing (DB) (n = 17). ANOVAS revealed that EFT produced significantly greater improvement than did DB behaviorally and on three self-report measures, but not on pulse rate. The greater improvement for EFT was maintained, and possibly enhanced, at 6 – 9 months follow-up on the behavioral measure. These findings suggest that a single treatment session using EFT to reduce specific phobias can produce valid behavioral and subjective effects. Some limitations of the study are also noted and clarifying research suggested.
Citation (APA Style): Wells, S., Polglase, K., Andrews, H. B., Carrington, P. & Baker, A. H. (2003). Evaluation of a meridian-based intervention, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), for reducing specific phobias of small animals. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59(9), 943-966.
Direct link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jclp.10189
Clinical EFT as an Evidence-Based Practice for the Treatment of Psychological and Physiological Conditions: A Systematic Review
Abstract
Background: Since the turn of the century, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has come into widespread use in medical and psychological treatment settings. It is also used as self-help by tens of millions of people each year. Clinical EFT, the manualized form of the method, has been validated as an “evidence-based” practice using criteria published by the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 12 Task Force on Empirically Validated Therapies. Its three essential ingredients are exposure, cognitive framing, and acupressure.
Objectives: In 2013 we published a paper defining Clinical EFT and reviewing published research. It has been viewed or downloaded over 36,000 times, indicating widespread interest in this treatment modality. Here we update our findings based on subsequently published literature and propose directions for future research.
Method: We performed a systematic review of the literature to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses. Retrieval of 4,167 results resulted in the identification of 56 RCTs (n = 2,013), 41 of which were published subsequent to our earlier review, as well as eight meta-analyses.
Results: RCTs have found EFT treatment to be effective for (a) psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, phobias, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); (b) physiological issues such as pain, insomnia, and autoimmune conditions; (c) professional and sports performance; and (d) biological markers of stress. Meta-analyses evaluating the effect of EFT treatment have found it to be “moderate” to “large.” Successful independent replication studies have been carried out for anxiety, depression, PTSD, phobias, sports performance, and cortisol levels. We outline the next steps in EFT research. These include determining its impact on cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and cognitive impairment; analysis of the large-scale datasets made possible by mobile apps; and delivery through channels such as virtual practitioner sessions, artificial intelligence agents, online courses, apps, virtual reality platforms, and standardized group therapy.
Conclusions: Subsequent research has confirmed the conclusions of earlier studies. These find Clinical EFT to be efficacious for a range of psychological and physiological conditions. Comparatively few treatment sessions are required, treatment is effective whether delivered in person or virtually, and symptom improvements persist over time. Treatment is associated with measurable biological effects in the dimensions of gene expression, brain synchrony, hormonal synthesis, and a wide range of biomarkers. Clinical EFT is a stable and mature method with an extensive evidence base. Its use in primary care settings as a safe, rapid, reliable, and effective treatment for both psychological and medical diagnoses continues to grow.
Citation (APA Style): Church, D., Stapleton, P. B., Vasudevan, A., & O'Keefe, T. (2022). Clinical EFT as an evidence-based practice for the treatment of psychological and physiological conditions: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 951451. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.951451
Direct link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.951451/full
Bifocal Emotion Regulation Through Acupoint Tapping in Fear of Flying
Abstract
Very few studies have investigated the neural underpinnings of bifocal-multisensory interventions such as acupoint tapping (tapping) despite their well-documented efficacy. The present study aims to investigate the neural and behavioral responses to tapping during the perception of phobic and generally fear-inducing stimulation in a group of participants with fear of flying. We studied 29 flight-phobic participants who were exposed to phobia-related, fear-inducing and neutral stimulation while undergoing fMRI and a bifocal-multisensory intervention session consisting of tapping plus cognitive restructuring in a within-subject design. During tapping we found an up-regulation of neural activation in the amygdala, and a down-regulation in the hippocampus and temporal pole. These effects were different from automatic emotion regulatory processes which entailed down-regulation in the amygdala, hippocampus, and temporal pole. Mean scores (±SD) on the Fear of Flying scale dropped from 2.51(±0.65) before the intervention to 1.27(±0.68) after the intervention (p <.001). The proportion of participants meeting the criteria for fear of flying also dropped from 89.7 percent before the intervention to 24.0 percent after the intervention (p <.001). Taken together, our results lend support to the effectiveness of tapping as a means of emotion regulation across multiple contexts and add to previous findings of increased amygdala activation during tapping, as opposed to amygdala down-regulation found in other emotion regulation techniques. They expand on previous knowledge by suggesting that tapping might modulate the processing of complex visual scene representations and their binding with visceral emotional reponses, reflected by the down-regulation of activation in the hippocampus and temporal pole. Bifocal emotion regulation was useful in ameliorating aversive reactions to phobic stimuli in people with fear of flying.
Citation (APA Style): Wittfoth, D., Beise, J., Manuel, J., Bohne, M., & Wittfoth, M. (2022). Bifocal emotion regulation through acupoint tapping in fear of flying. NeuroImage: Clinical, 34, 102996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2022.102996
Direct link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158222000614?via%3Dihub
Neuropsychological correlates of an energy psychology intervention on flight phobia: A MEG single-case study
Abstract
Aim: Over 100 studies and meta-analyses of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) demonstrate it to be an evidence-based treatment for anxiety, depression, and PTSD. EFT combines elements of common treatments such as exposure and cognitive therapy with the novel ingredient of acupressure. This study used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure brain activity in a subject with a severe fear of flying.
Materials and Methods: Before and after treatment and at 4 week follow-up, the participant was presented with both visual images and personal memories that evoked her phobia. These were compared with emotionally neutral controls. Psychometric measures included the Subjective Units of Distress (SUD) scale and Flight-Anxiety Situations questionnaire (FAS). Posttest SUD and FAS scores were reduced compared to the pretest, though gains were maintained on follow-up for SUD scores only.
Results: MEG data revealed an event-related beta desynchronization (15-30 Hz) during all experimental sessions and conditions. A linear regression analysis showed that heightened activation of a fronto-occipital cortical and cortico-cerebellar network predicted SUD scores. The results are consistent with those found in medication and psychotherapy studies of phobias and anxiety. EFT increased the ability to engage brain’s frontal executive regions mediating limbic responses appraisal to stressful stimuli. EFT also downregulated the activity of limbic and cerebellar regions implicated in the fear response.
Conclusion: This study pioneers the methodology required to conduct randomized controlled trials with robust experimental designs, and identifies brain areas that are targets of interest for future research.
Citation (APA Style): Church, D., Guillot, A., Di Rienzo, F., Saruco, E., Daligault, S., Debarnot, U., Gurret, J.-M., & Delpuech, C. (2019). Neuropsychological correlates of an energypsychology intervention on flight phobia: AMEG single-case study. PsyArXiv Preprints. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/s3hce
Direct link: https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/s3hce_v1
